REO names environmentally hazardous televisions

The Russian Environmental Operator (REO) analyzed the practice of waste disposal from the use of goods and found out that TV sets with fluorescent backlighting are the most hazardous for the environment. The data on this is contained in the Album of technologies for the utilization of waste from the use of goods, developed by the REO. "Izvestia" got acquainted with the information on November 21.

"In Russia, about 1.5 million tons of electronic and electrical equipment waste is generated annually, of which only 5% is recycled. Most of the electronics waste is household appliances (67%), which includes televisions. A large amount of electronics can be recycled instead of polluting nature," said Denis Butsayev, Director General of REO.

According to him, LCD displays with CCFL backlighting - a fluorescent lamp with a cold cathode - pose a special danger to the environment. Depending on the characteristics of the fluorescent lamp, it can contain up to 3.5 mg of mercury - that's about two thermometers, he explained.

"Mercury can get into the soil and water, increasing the heavy metal content in them. Mercury vapor is very dangerous to human health, up to lethal," the expert emphasized.

Mercury is one of the toxic substances found in waste electronics, along with lead, cadmium, ozone-depleting substances and persistent organic compounds. Therefore, it is necessary to remove components and materials containing hazardous substances from electronic waste at the pre-treatment stage, the REO said.

TV sets and monitors often arrive at the recycling site with already broken lamps. Therefore, transportation, reception and storage of electronic equipment are carried out in such a way as to avoid damage to fluorescent lamps, the operator explained. They added that at the recycling site it is important to keep constant control and make sure that the maximum permissible concentration of mercury in the air where the workers are located is not exceeded.

Earlier, on October 5, Dmitry Dukhovnikov, entrepreneur and head of recycling operator Creator Solutions, said that recycling of batteries allows to extract useful elements such as copper, zinc, lead, manganese and ferrous metal and use them in industry. According to him, Russians throw away about 1 billion, or 20,000 tons, of batteries a year.